1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to closure devices for containers and more particularly to a combined closure and pouring device having a closable opening therein and an integral spout enabling controlled pouring of material directly from the container.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Closures for containers are found in the prior art in as many forms and shapes as there are forms and shapes of containers. Likewise, the functions of such closures vary from closures alone to closures plus other functions in combination such as discharge by a spout or a scoop. U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,347,253 and 3,085,710 disclose two forms of closures into which a type of spout is incorporated so that liquids within the containers may be poured directly from the containers. U.S. Pat. No. 3,380,307 discloses a closure which is deformable into a scoop. In addition there are disclosed in the prior art various devices which enable material to be poured directly from a container but which do not function as closures. U.S. Pat. Nos. 280,515, 1,165,285 and 3,726,447 show devices which function as spouts independent of any particular closure device and U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,075,721 and 3,021,977 show devices which allow consumption of liquids directly from a container but which do not function as closure devices.
It is desirable in a closure for a container to provide for other functions in addition to closure alone, such as a pouring function by means of a spout. It is further desirable that structural features providing such functions be positionable in both a functional position and a storing position. For example, in a closure which incorporates a spout, it is desirable that the spout be positionable to allow for pouring and alternatively to allow for storing, stacking or shipping of the container without physical interference with the spout. The closure disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,085,710 is configured so that the spout is positionable only in one position -- a functional position allowing for pouring from the container. Stacking, storing and shipping a container with such a closure would be impractical because the spout would interfere with efficient stacking of such containers.
It is further desirable that such a closure be able to close the opening of the container whether or not the structural features providing other functions be positioned in functional or storing positions. For example, the closure disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,347,253 is constructed so that when the spout is positioned for pouring, the closure no longer functions to close the container. The closure must be reversed so that the spout is placed in the storing position before the closure in fact closes the opening of the container. While such a result is of little practical significance when a container is being stored or shipped by a manufacturer, it is of great significance once a container has reached the consumer. At that time, the feature of being able to position the spout in a storing position becomes less important. What then becomes more desirable is that the container be closable even if the spout remains in a pouring position.
The desirability of the feature just described can be illustrated by reference to a closure which incorporates a spout and which is adapted to close a typical 1 gallon paint container. After pouring the desired quantity of paint from the container, it is readily apparent that reversing the closure in order to close the container would create more spillage than pouring from the container without the aid of the spout in the first place. Hence, the ability of a closure to effectively close the container without repositioning the closure itself relieves the consumer in the case of paint container closures of the typical mess involved in pouring paint while providing such closure of the container as will ensure preservation of the fluid-tight seal necessary to store paint.
It is further desirable in a closure for a container that access into the container be provided so that small amounts of the contents may be retrieved without removing other amounts from the container first, such as would result when pouring the contents from a container. Such access may be provided by a secondary opening smaller than the closure itself but large enough to allow access, for example, by a scoop in the case of granulated or powdered contents or by a brush in the case of liquids such as paint.